1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to methods for the efficient utilization of multiple computer applications in a multi-tasking system and in particular to methods which permit the output of one application to selectively alter the sequence of the display of a plurality of overlapping windows displaying the multiple computer applications. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method whereby a user may elect to assign a priority to the output of a selected application, such that the window in which the application is displayed will automatically be promoted to an uppermost display position in response to the outputting of data from that application.
2. Background Art
It is possible with modern computer systems for a computer to simultaneously execute several software applications. The execution of multiple applications simultaneously is often referred to as "multi-tasking." It is also possible for multiple interactive work stations to be linked to a host computer whereby a user may simultaneously execute several software applications by utilizing a work station and the host computer. It is desirable in such environments to allow the user to view some or all of the applications simultaneously. This is often accomplished by the utilization of the concept of "windows" wherein all or part of multiple applications are displayed in separate viewports or "windows" of a computer system video display system. The complexity of many software applications require substantially all of a computer's video display and it is therefore common to overlay one window upon another window, or to represent a second application with a miniature graphic representation or "icon." Further, it is known to have multiple software applications present on a computer display simultaneously, one or more of which may be active at any given time, and which may be displayed in a window or icon.
As an example of the above, a user may desire to have three separate applications invoked each time the user starts up his or her computer system. A word processor program and a spread sheet may be initially displayed in windows on the display system while an electronic mail application is initially displayed as an icon at the bottom of the display. When the user desires to send or receive electronic mail to or from other computers connected to his or her computer via a computer network, the user must expand the icon into a window, send or receive the mail, and then shrink or "tokenize" the application into an icon once again.
A problem inherent in such multi-tasking systems is the inability of an interactive application to display a change in status while it is overlayed by another application or displayed in an icon status. Thus, if the above described user desires to spend most of his or her time working within a word processing or spread sheet environment, it will not be possible to determine whether or not incoming electronic mail has arrived or what type of mail is awaiting response. Certain known software applications which are utilized in a multi-tasking environment utilize a bell or tone to indicate a change in status of one application to the user. However, many software applications have multiple states of interest to the user which may not be indicated by an audio tone. For example, an application may require an input from a user, the application may indicate that execution is taking place or has concluded, or the application may indicate an error state.
One known solution for this problem has recently been proposed which utilizes a miniature graphic representation or "icon" which is indicative of an individual computer task. This icon is defined or characterized by a set of graphic parameters which may include color, textual content and duration. A change in the status of a first computer task is then indicated by a variation in one or more of the graphic parameters. For example, the color or graphic content of the icon may be altered, or the icon may be turned off or "blinked" to indicate a specific change in status.
While this proposal represents an advance in the art, it is only useful for indicating a change of status of an application which has been tokenized or turned into an icon and, after the changed state has been indicated, it is still necessary for the user to deactivate the application in which he or she is currently working and activate the tokenized computer application. Additionally, this proposed system may not be utilized in a situation wherein the computer application program is displayed within a window which is overlapped by a second active application.
Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that known systems exist whereby messages from the system operator may take precedence over an active application and be displayed for the utilization of a user. However, no method exists whereby the outputting of data from one application may be automatically utilized to alter the display sequence of a plurality of overlapped windows whereby a user may be automatically and dynamically made aware of the output of data by an overlapped application by the promotion of that application to the uppermost display position.
Therefore, it should be obvious that a need exists for a method whereby the output of data from an application displayed in an overlapped window may be utilized to automatically promote that window to an uppermost display system so that a user may be aware of the output data without the necessity of activating the second application.